A somewhat frustrating night at Anfield for Liverpool as the Reds could only manage a 0-0 draw against Bayern in their first leg of the last 16 in the Champions League.
A 0-0 draw, to be honest, is not a bad result but there was a general consensus that Liverpool may be able to get the better of the German side on their home turf.
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| Image via The Independent |
The first half was a brilliant game to watch, especially for the neutral with both teams creating issues. One moment that stands out in particular though is a save from Alisson that he knew nothing about. A bit of luck came Liverpool's way after a melee in the box and a risky clearance from Joel Matip nearly ended in a goal for Bayern, thankfully Alisson's body was in the way and the match remained level.
Alisson is a brilliant keeper but I still feel sometimes he's far too risky with the ball at his feet. His distribution often invites unwanted pressure and while nine times out of ten it's fine, I can't deal with the stress!
Klopp had to start this game without influential defender Virgil van Dijk but to be fair to the Reds, aside from that freak mistake early on, defensively they played really well. Fabinho had a cracking game and on several occasions put in some beautifully timed tackles to stop dead a dangerous attack.
Another player who deserves a mention is Jordan Henderson, he gets a lot of flack but people don't talk enough when he puts in a stormer. He was brilliant last night, played more positively with his passing and also got us out of a few scrapes when tracking back.
Attack wise, Liverpool did have their chances but we just couldn't quite make it count. I love Mane but I have to admit that he scuppered a couple of good opportunities on Tuesday night. Firmino for me started lively but seemed to fade and as always we didn't seem to capitalise much on any set pieces.
Nevertheless, the tie is at 0-0, an early away goal in Germany could be massive for Liverpool. Equally, even if Bayern score first they'd still need to find a second goal in quick succession really to feel comfortable. It's going to be an interesting European away trip for Klopp's side that's for sure.
Next up for the Reds is the small matter of Manchester United... This game is huge in any season but even more so this year.